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"Ding" Darling Wildlife Society Newsletter
March 1, 2018
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Refuge funding continues to decline and it is private philanthropic support that helps fill in the gaps. Thank you for your support.
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Trivia Thursday
How many teeth might an Alligator go through in a lifetime? Find the answer somewhere in the newsletter!
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Click the logo to learn more about our 45/82 Society and leaving "Ding" Darling in your estate.
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Tomorrow, March 2: Nature's Allies Lecture
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Larry Nielsen will present three lectures tomorrow.
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In Nature's Allies: Eight Conservationists Who Changed Our World, author Larry Nielsen uses the stories of conservation pioneers to demonstrate that, through passion and perseverance, we can each be a positive force for change. On Friday, March 2, he will be presenting three free programs at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., part of the 2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series at the Refuge. In the engaging and diverse biographies of John Muir, "Ding" Darling, Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Chico READ MORE
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Friday, March 9: Birds of Prey Lecture
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Kevin Karlson
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An accomplished birder, professional tour leader, and wildlife photographer, Kevin Karlson has published a number of bird- and nature-related articles for magazines, books, and journals. On Friday, March 9, he will be presenting three free programs at 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., part of the
2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series
at the Refuge. Released in April 2017,
Birds of Prey: Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, and Vultures of North
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Karlson's book is for sale in the Refuge Nature Store, proceeds from which benefit Refuge wildlife research, conservation, and education programs.
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America
was co-authored by Karlson with Pete Dunne. Karlson's presentations will begin with a video introduction by Dunne. The photographer will present all the raptor groups with images from the book and share his stories about READ MORE
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Sponsor of the 2018 "Ding" Darling Lecture Series
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Lecture Seating Policy
Seating for the lectures is limited and available on a first-come basis. Early arrivals can save one extra seat each with personal items and then may explore the Visitor & Education Center or Indigo Trail before the lecture starts. Saved seats must be filled 15 minutes before lecture time.
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Wednesday, March 7:
The Forgotten Coast
The documentary film
The Forgotten Coast: Return to Wild Florida
continues the sixth annual free
Wednesday Film Series
on March 7, at 1 p.m. in the Visitor & Education Center auditorium. Following in the footsteps of a wandering Florida black bear, three modern-day explorers leave civilization and enter a lost American wilderness on a rugged thousand-mile journey by foot, paddle, and bike. Traversing Florida's vast and seldom seen "Forgotten Coast," the expedition encounters stunning and rare wildlife in a fragile corridor stretching from the Everglades to the Florida-Alabama border. Premiered in April 2017, the PBS documentary captures manatees, alligators, ancient river fish, and endangered READ MORE
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2018 Film Series Sponsor
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Click
here
for a printable 2018 Film Series flyer. Watch the trailer here.
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Wednesday, February 28: Refuge Public Meeting
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Plans for Bailey Tract wetland restoration are on the meeting agenda.
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The J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge will hold a public meeting about three topics in the Visitor & Education Center on
Wednesday, February 28, at 1:00 p.m.
1. Planned routine prescribed burns on Sanibel Island.
Plans for prescribed burns on conservation lands will be discussed with fire professionals from the Refuge, Sanibel- Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF), the City of Sanibel, and the Sanibel Fire Rescue District.
2. Hydrological restoration at the Bailey Tract. Plans for this project involve partially filling the Ani Pond, reconnecting wetland habitat and other hydrological enhancements for the benefit of endemic, state-threatened Sanibel Island Rice Rat, secretive marsh birds, and other species dependent on spartina marsh habitats.
3. Posting of a state-mandated wildlife buffer zone around the rookery islands in Tarpon Bay to protect colonial nesting birds.
The Tarpon Bay Keys are managed through a lease agreement with the State of Florida, which mandates establishment of a buffer around the rookery islands in the middle of the bay. The refuge intends to post the wildlife buffer zone of 25 yards to comply with the terms of this agreement.
For any questions, please contact Refuge Manager Paul Tritaik at 239-472-1100 ext 223.
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Friday, March 2: Yappy Hour to Benefit Refuge
Tips to "Barktenders" (and DDWS staffers) Sarah Lathrop and Carrie Alexander will benefit the Refuge at Island Paws' Yappy Hour on Sanibel Island Friday, March 2, from 5 to 7 p.m. Bring your pup and come sip, sniff, and mingle. There will be free beer and wine, goodie bags, samples, and dog treats. The Refuge welcomes dogs with responsible owners who use a 6-foot leash and pick up after their pets. Thanks to Island Paws for this contribution to Refuge efforts.
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The 90-minute Birding the Refuge Caravan Tour departs from the Visitor & Education Center parking lot at 8:30 a.m. every Tuesday. Vehicle admission fee of $5 to Wildlife Drive applies. Photo credit: Frank Brinker
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The seasonal calendar of free Refuge programs and tours runs through
April 8
. Daily programs begin at 8:30 a.m. and include such diverse activities as Nature Photography, Beach Walk, Birds of Prey
READ MORE
Click
here
for a printable calendar of programs. Click
here
for program descriptions.
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Save April 21 for Earth Day at the Refuge
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Meet Bagzilla, an incarnate reminder of our plastic addiction.
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Bike or hike Wildlife Drive for free, watch a free film, and take advantage of free upcycle projects at this year's Earth Day at J.N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, on Saturday, April 21, 2018. 
The Refuge will celebrate the 48th anniversary of Earth Day in partnership with Ding" Darling Wildlife Society. The morning's highlights will include earth-friendly, upcycled crafts to take home and a ranger-led bike tour. Throughout the day, guests can meet Bagzilla, a "bag monster" dressed in the average person's annual plastic bag consumption, and take advantage of free bike rentals from
Tarpon Bay Explorers
, the Refuge's official recreation concession, located 2 miles south of the Visitor & Education Center.
In the afternoon, view the award-winning film
STRAWS
, a 30-minute documentary about plastic straw litter and how we can make a sea of change - one straw at a time. Watch upcoming "Ding" on the Wing bulletins for a schedule of the day's events.
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Junior Ranger Program: Not Just for Kids
Joe and Fran MacDonald from Nazareth, Pennsylvania, recently found that becoming a Junior Ranger is not kids' play. They took the challenge seriously, said front-desk volunteer Doris Hardy. "We swore them in, and gave them
their badges, and took this picture," said
Doris. Kids of all ages can ask at the front desk of the Refuge Visitor & Education Center to learn more about the Refuge by completing the Junior Ranger program.
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Books by Kevin Karlson
Prolific and talented photographer Kevin Karlson has worked on books with celebrated birding author Pete Dunne and other notables in the field. He delivers three lectures at the Refuge on March 9, but some of his books and popular foldup guides are already stocked in the Refuge Nature Store. Get yours early and be ready to have him sign them following his three lectures.
Just Water Just In!
We have taken our Kick the Bottle campaign of seven years a step further by kicking plastic out of the equation entirely. We have replaced our reusable plastic water bottles with a better alternative. Just Water, a product envisioned by an eco-conscious group including actor Will Smith, is made from
82% renewable resources -- primarily paperboard sourced from forests where new trees replace those harvested. The cap and shoulder components are derived from sugarcane, a renewable resource. The materials represent a 47 to 74% reduction in greenhouse gas emission compared to PET plastic bottles. Buy yours now in the Nature Store for only $2 a bottle.
Stop in and pick up your books today. Or contact Store Manager
Jeanne Walsh
at 239-472-1100 ext. 241 for more information about mail-ordering these and other
featured products.
Remember, members of "Ding" Darling Wildlife Society receive a 10% discount at the Nature Store. Proceeds from all Nature Store sales go directly to the Refuge for educational programs and wildlife research.
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In each issue of "Ding" on the Wing, we showcase one of more than 560 refuges in the U.S.A.
Location:
4,385 acres in Woodworth, North Dakota
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Photos courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
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Totemic fauna:
American White Pelican
Fun for the Family
: Chase Lake NWR is home to one-third of the continent's nesting white pelicans. Chase Lake Pass provides a good viewing spot.
Visitor's tips:
Most of the refuge is a designated Wilderness Area. Check the website for access points and roads.
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In each issue of "Ding" of the Wing, we share a quick tip on how you can turn your lifestyle greener. For more information on being environmentally aware, visit our
Go Green web page.
Water: Waste Not
An ever-increasingly valuable commodity, water is a resource we too often take for granted. Take easy measures for cutting your water usage at home by keeping showers short and
fixing leaks. More long-term, involved practices include exploring the installation of a secondary gray-water system and converting your yard and gardens to native vegetation and non-sod ground cover to cut down on watering.
Reduce Plastic in Your Life
"Ding" Darling is committed to and has led the way on the islands in reducing the single-use plastic products that plague our planet and threaten wildlife. Thanks to DDWS' efforts, we have eliminated plastic shopping bags and one-time-use plastic water bottles in the Refuge Nature Store and at Tarpon Bay Explorers' gift shop. In recent years, the Refuge has also installed a filtered water refill station and transitioned to compostable plates, cups, and flatware for event use.
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Wednesday Law Enforcement Talks
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John Thompson delivers insider law enforcement information.
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Refuge Law Enforcement Officer John Thompson offers a "U.S. Wildlife Police: The Thin Green Line" talk most Wednesdays during season at 1:30 p.m. in the Refuge Visitor & Education Classroom. The 30-minute program features the history of the federal wildlife protection, a police gear show-and-tell, and handouts for "junior officers." The program is offered based on Officer John's availability, so call ahead to 472-1100 ext. 222 each Wednesday to confirm.
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May 11: Tarpon Time!
Friday, May 11, marks our seventh annual "Ding" Darling & Doc Ford's Tarpon Tournament. The field of 55 boats has been filled. Click
here
to read what one of our sponsors published about the exciting upcoming event.
As 100% of the purse goes to awards, we raise money from this fundraiser for the Refuge strictly through sponsorships and silent auction. For information on the event and becoming a sponsor or auction donor, please visit www.dingdarlingtarpontourney.org or contact Executive Director Birgie Miller at 239-472-1100 ext. 4.
Thanks to those sponsors who have already joined the cause:
TITLE
CHAMPION
PREMIERE
PRESENTING
PLATINUM
GOLD
   
  
SILVER
 
 
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Click
here to see this week's wildlife sightings
It has been a few years since we've had a sighted visit from an American Flamingo at the Refuge, but we were happy to discover last week that the iconic bird is now being considered as a Florida native, according to a newly published
abstract
by local bird scientists. Visitors to "Ding" Darling often mistake our Roseate Spoonbills for flamingos. This image by Carla R. Black clearly illustrates the distinctions.
A
Green Heron nest with eggs has been spotted in the Bailey Tract! Green Heron parents will incubate the eggs for about three weeks until they hatch. Three more weeks after hatching, these birds will make their first flight!
Thanks to Jim Bennight for the photo.
More
Alligator babies have been spotted at "Ding" Darling this week as well! Did you know? Alligators can go through 3,000 teeth in a lifetime! The teeth fall out as they wear down and are replaced by new ones throughout a gator's life.
Thanks to Ellen Maas Pratt for the photo.
T
o see more wildlife photos like this one, click on our social media links:
If you have taken any beautiful, interesting, or just plain goofy photos taken at the Refuge, send them to Philanthropic Coordinator,
Carrie Alexander, for a chance to be featured in upcoming newsletters.
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Volunteer Holiday Luncheon
- December 14, 2018
Volunteer Awards Luncheon - February 8, 2019
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These are just snapshots of some of the things taking place at your Wildlife Refuge. Please check our website at
www.dingdarlingsociety.org to learn more!
Sincerely,
"Ding" On The Wing composed by Chelle Koster Walton. Designed by Sierra Hoisington and Amanda Brooks
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